The new Latvian Radio album “Pick your poison, pick your blues” is now released on Belpid Records and already
several great reviews have appeared, plus the album is racing up the college radio charts, entered the top 200 the first week.
Check out the brand new video of the song “Paranoia”:
If you’re in New York you can see them live at Pianos (158 Ludlow St) Saturday February 10th at 10:30 pm. Free CD with admission!
Also look out for a Boston show at PA’s Lounge(date to be determined), and other East Coast dates coming up in 2018.
“Something I’ve noted before, in reviewing these friendly New York power-poppers, remains true on this sixth LP: Patric Westoo‘s
attitude is upbeat. It’s not his lyrics (“Don’t know why we’re keeping score all the time”), it’s him – and the band’s playing.
Everything’s so chipper, like they’re so pleased to play, that sampling PYB, PYB counteracts the moments of my Trump-era despairs for
humanity. They’ve always had advanced tunes, and the craft they again display is supremely laudable – they never do toss-offs, and
Westoo delights in well-constructed chorus hooks. But they really delight in anything, it seems, and you smile losing yourself in
infectious skipping beats, piano lines, drummer Adam Jones‘ occasional jaunty soul trumpets (standout: “Radio Riot”), and their sweet
Shoes-like sensibility. Like 2016’s surprising Monkees’ comeback LP, Poison is just filled with simple pop joys.
Can a review say thank you?” (latvianradio.net)
– Jack Rabid, The Big Takeover, Top review picks #22
“New York musician Patric Westoo returns with Latvian Radio’s new album Pick Your Poison, Pick Your Blues. Its a tighter approach to songwriting as well as
mixing power pop, alternative rock, and vintage mod styles. “Paranoia” is a catchy bass melody with a grunge backing texture that reminded me of Allen Clapp
(Orange Peels). “Four Letter Word” is a fun retro Kinks-like single that’s great to dance to and “Dichotomy Of Disbelief” adds some horn accents to its dark melody.
Additional highlights include “Observations In A Major Key” and “Radio Riot.” It attempts a punk song “Shake The Tree,” but Patric fares much better with
rock and roll melodies on the impressive “Tug Of War.” It sounds like the band is testing out its new sound, and it’s not afraid of experimentation.
This LP definitely has some winners on it, so check it out. 7”
– Powerpopoholic
“New York musician Patric Westoo brings a stellar take on the powerpop style whenever he writes a song. His lyrics have a unique substance to them that maintain a slight catchiness while riding a groove. He also isn’t afraid to try different things in each song, there’s no redundancy involved and there’s an entertaining listening experience. His band Latvian Radio put out their sixth album Pick Your Poison, Pick Your Blues on Nov 28 via the Swedish label Belpid Records with a clean, more straightforward approach. It fuses old school alternative rock and vintage punk with new wave and mod.
One thing that makes the band’s new record different from their previous material is the larger presence of horns in various songs. It complements the pop-tinged grit very well in sneaky ways. A few other tracks have a ballad vibe to them but not to the point that they become unbearable. Pick Your Poison, Pick Your Blues is an album with a lot of heart. Westoo sings from the soul without any filler from beginning to end.
Powerpop at one point could have been considered a genre of music for the middle-aged. It had its birth thanks to Alex Chilton and Big Star during the ‘70s, and the influence it had on alternative rock during the ‘80s and ‘90s is very noticeable. Around the turn of the century, it became something of remembered lore without any new acts popping up. Recently that started to change slightly but only time will tell if it can be maintained. Will Latvian Radio’s new album play a part in that? Perhaps, but let’s delve into my top tracks off of the Album of the Week in the meantime: “Paranoia” starts the album off with a driving guitar riff from Westoo; there are also nice harmonies that glisten off the song. The ears can really hear the horns while checking out “Blood Orange Blue” and its unplugged tone. Veering towards punk is “Shake The Tree” with a fast-paced ripping structure and a forceful aesthetic.
Latvian Radio doesn’t have any shows announced as of this writing but they’ll probably be playing around the Big Apple sometime soon. Before the next time they take the stage, grab a copy of the new album. It’s music with feeling that’ll sooth the senses and ease the mind.
– Motif Magazine “Album of the week”
“New York-based Latvian Radio is the type of underground college radio phenomenon that we all came for. With a slightly misanthropic pop sound reminiscent
of Modest Mouse, Pick Your Poison, Pick Your Blues is clean and incredibly likable. There’s something really succinct about the production, and in a
music scene where every kid with a laptop is trying to find the most eccentric electronic sounds to pair with their red vinyl pants and sequined tape deck,
this record relies on being plain ol’ fashioned good music. Latvian Radio isn’t trying to sell you anything, and that’s a breath of fresh air.”
– WLUR 91,5